Publisher’s Letter – Conscious Community Magazinehttp://consciouscommunitymagazine.com
Dedicated to Elevating ConsciousnessFri, 16 Feb 2018 21:17:12 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.4Conscious Community™ Magazine is a Chicago-based publication and winner of the Conscious Evolutionaries Wheel of CoCreation Award. Founded in 1979, we are the oldest spiritual magazine in the United States dedicated to elevating consciousness. <br />
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Our podcast features guests discussing a range of topics related to consciousness, such as spirituality, health, wellness, yoga, numerology, astrology, relationships, organic gardening, animal/pet care, conscious commerce, art, music and more. <br />
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We at Conscious Community Magazine believe that mindful communication can foster positive growth, and we are all co-creators of this world. We feel we are called to play our part elevating the consciousness level of humanity in our communities, our nations, and the world.Publisher’s Letter – Conscious Community MagazinecleanepisodicPublisher’s Letter – Conscious Community Magazinespencer@consciouscommunitymagazine.comspencer@consciouscommunitymagazine.com (Publisher’s Letter – Conscious Community Magazine)Janae Jean and Spencer SchluterUnify and awaken the masses to their full potential through uplifting, timely, and inspiring communications.Publisher’s Letter – Conscious Community Magazinehttp://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/powerpress/dancing_people-New.jpghttp://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/category/conscious-community-magazine/publishers-letter/
scschluter@gmail.comConscious Community™ Magazine is a Chicago-based publication and winner of the Conscious Evolutionaries Wheel of CoCreation Award. Founded in 1979, we are the oldest spiritual magazine in the United States dedicated to elevating consciousness.
Our podcast features guests discussing a range of topics related to consciousness, such as spirituality, health, wellness, yoga, numerology, astrology, relationships, organic gardening, animal/pet care, conscious commerce, art, music and more.
We at Conscious Community Magazine believe that mindful communication can foster positive growth, and we are all co-creators of this world. We feel we are called to play our part elevating the consciousness level of humanity in our communities, our nations, and the world. Monthly113618938Letter from the Publisher – All Kinds of Lovehttp://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/letter-from-the-publisher-all-kinds-of-love/
http://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/letter-from-the-publisher-all-kinds-of-love/#respondWed, 31 Jan 2018 01:21:29 +0000http://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/?p=8926

By Kasia Szumal –

Katarzyna (Kasia) Szumal Publisher

There is One Love that connects all of us, but we experience many expressions of love throughout our lives. Feelings of love make us feel giggly, accepting and whole. With love, you feel as if you can move mountains! The month of February is advertised to us as a month of love due to of Valentine’s Day. On that day, we do our best to surprise our loved ones, usually our significant others, but what about other people you love, such as your parents or even yourself? There are many types of love, and in this issue, I want to share many of these with you, not just romantic love.

Let’s first consider our love to our family, in particular, our parents. We receive our earliest love lessons from our parents. This kind of love can be wonderful and supportive, but sometimes, it can be hard and painful. In this month’s column, A Different Kind of Valentine, Alan Cohen illustrates this kind of love. “When I was growing up, I did not appreciate my parents. I was busy living out my own desires, figuring out who I was, and exploring the world. I took mom and dad for granted. I had judgments about them and wished they were otherwise. At times, I was disrespectful. I was a self-involved teenager.“ How do you approach this kind of love when you grow up and become a parent? According to Alan Cohen, we should be open to appreciating our parents and be more compassionate towards them. Additionally, he asks us to consider how we grew as a result of the challenges our parents gave us. When we look at the bigger picture of love, we see that all of our experiences make perfect sense. They make us who we are.

Do you know that you can attract your relationship by changing your energy at home? According to Kristina Hollinger, we can do that with Feng Shui. In her article, How toAttract the Relationship You Truly Want with Feng Shui, she teaches us that we can find it in our home in The Wisdom and Knowledge Gua. “You need to spend some time in The Knowledge Gua to get some self-knowledge on what it is that you truly want and need from a partner. Once you get clear on your desires, you will be able to articulate that to someone else.” I strongly believe that; when deep in your heart you know the kind of person you would like to be, you will attract the right kind of person into your life. Everything starts within us!

As we move closer to spring, there are more and more great events across the Midwest, including the Ostara Lumiere Ball, the Holistic Healing with Herbs series, and the Getting Your Sh*t Together Weekend. Conscious Community is proudly supporting a showing of HEAL, a documentary that takes us on a scientific and spiritual journey. Turn to our Community Happenings for details, and visit ConsciousCommunityMagazine.com/events-calendar to see all the latest events.

As always, I invite you to visit ConsciousCommunityMagazine.com. We are now adding new content throughout the month! You can hear full audio episodes of the Conscious Community Podcast, including the interview with Rabbi Rami in this issue, but also mid-month episodes, such as our recent conversation with Sam Bennett author of Start Right Where You Are. On Feb. 15, we will continue to celebrate the beauty of life and love with a discussion with Pastor Ian Simkins of the Beauty In The Common project, where we discuss seeing the beauty in everyday life and the shared experiences that unite us all. Check back with us regularly for more inspirational and thought provoking content!

Congratulations! You are now in 2018! What does this year mean to you? What do you want to create? What do you want to explore? What do you want to work on this year? For me, this year opportunities await, opportunities to meet leaders from different communities and work together.

It is a year to embrace the latest technology, so that we can give you access to what is happening in your community via your smartphone. It is a year to create more visual content for Conscious Community Magazine, more mindful films, music, art and collaboration with the community. Most importantly, I want to be here for you on your spiritual journey, and to inspire and motivate you to be the best version of yourself that you can be. Say “YES!” to yourself today, and take one step towards making your dream come alive!

If you have yet to sign up for our email newsletter, I urge you to do so. Every month on the 15th, we will be adding new articles, clips and events to our website, and you will be notified via email. Also when you join our newsletter, you will receive the Metaphysical Dream Interpretation Guide as our FREE gift to you. Go to our website, www.ConsciousCommunityMagazine.com, to sign up!

We are pleased to introduce our newest columnist, Tara Aal, who took over Kaye Berjot’s column ‘Cosmic Daily Weather.’ Tara has been a writer and astrology teacher for many years. She completed Laura Nalbandian’s Evolutionary Astrology three-year program and is a certified Soulsign Astrologer through Adam Gainsburg’s Immersion program. Welcome on board Tara!

I want to recognize Misty Soderholm and Shannon Chada for their valuable contributions to Conscious Community Magazine. We are grateful for their efforts, and we will miss reading their insightful columns each month. We wish them both the best on their journeys. Thank you both for being part of the Conscious Community!

In this January issue, we have a lot of great articles that will inspire you to start this year off on the right foot. Nutrition is a field that is very close to my heart and inspires me personally. I have been studying it for over a decade now and see how crucial it is for a healthy body as well as a healthy mind! This month, we are very fortunate to be able to introduce to you Michael Greger, M.D. of NutritionFacts.org. He is a medical doctor and co-author of the bestselling book How Not To Die. He is also the founder and main contributor to the not-for-profit website, www.NutritionFacts.org, which is dedicated to sharing the latest scientific research in the field of nutrition. I have been following his nutrition guidelines for many years now, and I am happy that we are able to share his knowledge with all of you. Staying with the health and wellness theme this issue, we also have an article about how to gracefully go through menopause with barely any unpleasant symptoms. Moreover, our former ‘Cosmic Daily Weather’ columnist, Kaye Berjot, is writing a new column, ‘Astrology 101,’ which shares the basics of Astrology for those of you who are new readers and lovers of Astrology.

December is always a month when I like to look back introspectively over the whole year and say “Thanks.” Thanks to all people who support this magazine through their everyday work, thoughts or prayers. Your commitment, dedication and energy keeps “Conscious Community” thriving.

First, I want to say, “Thank you” to all the conscious advertisers that support this magazine year-round. The positive, healing and empowering information, products and services that you provide are important for the person growth and well-being of all of us. By increasing our awareness, consciousness, we are able to make better decisions, not only for ourselves, but also for our community and the world!

Next, I want to say, “Thank you” to all the subscribers, both new and old, that renew their subscription each year and keep supporting this magazine.

Thank you to all of my coworkers whose good words, optimism and a huge vision for this magazine keep us going. I would like to especially thank you: Jody Levitan, Susan Pluto, Janae J. Almen, Spencer Schluter, Theresa Puskar, Anna Anthony, Rebecca Balogh, Kayla Hancock and Kaye Berjot. On this note, I want to say a special “Thanks” to Kaye Berjot, who has written “Cosmic Daily Weather” for the past two years; this December issue is her last one. The accuracy of her “Daily Cosmic Weather” makes me speechless, and her interpretations of astrological events has gotten me through on many occasions.

Also, I want to say “Thanks” to all distributors that make sure that this magazine is in stores throughout the Midwest before the first of each month. Thank you to the Illinois Distributors: Julie Roberts, Tina Marjan, Ellie Stewart, Randall Hoel, Joe Johrey, Jonathan McConaughey, Kristen Panek, Laurae Kozlik, Chris Dylanski, Barbara Osterdock and Jo Ann Broder. Thanks to Wisconsin distributors: Keri Silk and Stephanie McDonald, as well as to Rose Fier in Indiana. Thank you to all of you for your cooperation and backing me up.

Thank you to all our readers, in print and online, for all the comments that you’ve sent me regarding the changes that we’ve made this year. They inspire me to make a more mindful magazine that will continue to expand our consciousness with each issue!

We are still learning, growing and experimenting with different things, and I apologize for whatever did not work well. We are all on our spiritual journey, and we all do our best to be more whole, compassionate and spiritual human beings. We are looking forward to continuing to fulfill our mission to elevate conscious in 2018!

In this December issue, you will find many fascinating articles on diverse topics. You will discover how to make an impact in the community and ways to look at stress from a different perspective. You need to try Janae’s recipes for healthy superfood cookies. The “Almond Shortbread with Raspberry Jam” taste like heaven in the mouth! Enjoy them!

Many Thanks!

As many of us can see, we are going through very transformative times. Nature is changing; our family structures are changing; and we are trying to cope with all of these changes. It can be a very stressful time of our lives. From my own experiences, I see those changes as opportunities to grow and transform into a person that is more fulfilled and aware. During this time, you need to really take a good care of yourself, by doing things like eating nourishing meals, taking walks in nature, and meeting with friends and trying to laugh. When we can laugh, we open doors for new opportunities, and we are more likely to say, “YES” to ourselves and to the things that are coming our way.

For so many years, I have heard about the evolutionary shift that is currently happening, but I never quite got it until now. Right now I understand it more clearly, and I can feel it more than ever. It is a shift from the young soul to the mature soul paradigm, from action to heart, from a focus on personal achievement to a focus on interpersonal relationships, from feeling isolated and alone to feeling connected and a part of something bigger. I want to let you know that you are not alone, and all of us here at “Conscious Community Magazine” are here to serve each of you on your spiritual journey.

On this note, I want to ask you for help. As many of you know, I have been running this magazine for over a year and a half. This magazine has not only changed my life, but the lives of millions of people over the past 38 years. I am very passionate about co-creating this world, expanding our worldviews, and empowering individuals to do better and live life with higher purpose. I am here to be of service to all of you; if you want to see this publication still in print, I need your support. If you read each issue, and it brings a smile to your face when you do, please take action and support this magazine.

When we take action, things start to shift and move. Do not look to other people to do that. You are part of an active community that takes action to create the changes in the world that we all are seeking.

You can support us in many ways: you can buy advertising; you can buy subscriptions to our magazine for family members or friends; or you can make a donation by sending a check to Conscious Community, LLC, 47 W Polk Street, Suite 153, Chicago, IL 60605. I am grateful for all of your support!

In November, we have a lot of exciting events, like the “Green Living Expo” on Nov. 4, November 11th (11:11) and Thanksgiving. The 10th anniversary “Green Living Expo” will happen on Nov. 4 from 10 to 3 p.m. at McHenry County College Gym, 8900 U.S. Hwy 14, Crystal Lake, IL 60012. I will be there with my crew and magazines. Please stop by our table and say hello!

When I was I putting together the November issue, I was surprised to see how many events are happening on Nov. 11, 11:11, which is the power number for action, good works and unity. I am very excited to bring you a series of 11:11 events on the Community Happenings, as well as on the Pulse Calendar. I am looking forward to seeing many of you and celebrating this significant time of the year.

On Thursday Nov. 23, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving in the US. It is a time of year when we gather around the table and share food with family members and friends. It is a time of the year when we express gratitude for the things we have and the experiences that we’ve gone through this past year. Gratitude is a very powerful action, which we can take every day of our lives, that brings us closer to the things we want. By saying, “Thank you,” we are letting the Universe or God/Goddess know that we love our lives, and we want more good things to happen. For more information about the power of gratitude, look to Keridak Silk’s article, “The Magic of Gratitude,” on page 11.

I want to start by saying “thank you” to many important people, starting with the founders of Conscious Community Magazine, formerly The Monthly Aspectarian, Guy and Jeanne Spiro. Their vision and hard work started an amazing and informative product, back in 1979 when New Age thinking was just beginning to expand. Jeanne Spiro has said, “One of the things we’re very proud of is Guy’s Conversations with leaders in this field. When viewed together, they are an impressive list which includes: Marilyn Ferguson, Joan Borysenko, John Bradshaw, Matthew Fox, Deepak Chopra, Jean Houston, Robert Masters, Ram Dass, Brian Weiss, Bernie Siegel, Dan Millman, Neale Donald Walsch, Shakti Gawain, Sonia Choquette, Thomas Moore, and Richard Bach.”

Next, I want to thank the late Walter Perschke, our former publisher, who changed the name of the magazine to Conscious Community Magazine. His taught us how to DREAM BIG and to celebrate our lives more! His monthly meditations at Spiritual Learning Center, and classes, “Living your Dream” and “Ancient Wisdom Revealed”, transformed many people lives.

Lastly, I want to thank all of our advertisers, subscribers, readers, writers, and coworkers, who support this magazine, and make it enlightening, inspirational and uplifting. Thank you to all of you.

I am very excited that the September issue is all about authenticity and reflecting on who we are and how we are show up for the world. We interview JP Sears, emotional healing coach, teacher, author, and prominent YouTube personality, who reminds us to laugh at ourselves and be authentic. You can read the transcript of the entire interview as well as listen to the audio podcast through our website www.consciouscommunitymagazine.com. Also in this issue, Alan Cohen’s article “Resign as Your Own Teacher” reminds us to let the pressure off ourselves sometimes, and that it is fine to not know everything. I think there is nothing more liberating and transparent than when we are true to ourselves, and when we inspire other people to do the same around us.

Many of you know me as Kasia Szumal, but my whole name is Katarzyna Szumal. Kasia is a short name for Katarzyna. It is a Polish name and pronounced: ka-ta-ZHI-na. Since I began working at Conscious Community Magazine six years ago I never used this name. Honestly, I did not like this name because it it seemed too long for a magazine. I did not want people to break their tongues when they said my name. Since this issue is about being our authentic selves, I decided to use my full name on the masthead.

Aloha Conscious Community! How are you doing this summer? I am still on my “Summer Tour” with Conscious Community Magazine around the Midwest. This month I will be at The World of Faeries Festival in South Elgin, IL on August 5 & 6, and Veggie Taste of Joliet in Joliet, IL on August 19. I will have a table at those events with some free current issues. Please stop by and say hello. I would love to meet you!

I want to let you know that my “Summer Tour” this year is much different than last year’s “tour,” and two years ago. A few years ago, after each expo, I needed to recharge myself, and usually I was taking one or two days off to get back to myself. This year, I’m back to work on Monday with a smile on my face. You can ask me what is the difference? It’s an energy shift that is happening on the planet this year, and I am feeling it. Can you feel it?

Also, I notice that more and more people refer to themselves as belonging to a conscious community. My first thought is that I’m in a great business, and my second thought is that this magazine really resonates with a huge amount of people, and helps people find their conscious community; like-minded friends that they’re seeking. For me, being in a conscious community means being at home, being myself, being authentic, truthful, feeling connected, joyful, and wanting to play more. I love what I’m doing, and I will keep sharing, inspiring, and improving Conscious Community Magazine, until every one of you finds your conscious community home.

This month’s issue is about relationships and connections, with your family, friends, and others, yet the most important relationship is with yourself. We have a few articles that discuss these, including the Joyce and Barry Vissell article, The Three Parts of Relationship Commitment, and Blair McKissock’s article, Connections to all Things. “When we celebrate what connects us, rather than what divides us, then we begin to understand the power within that connection. When we feel alone, we feel powerless. When we feel connected, we feel and are powerful.”

You can also deepen your relationship understanding and practice by attending some workshops and classes that you can find in each issue of Conscious Community Magazine.

In this issue, we are pleased to announce our latest column, The HeART of Community, written by Misty Soderholm. This column is about art, poetry, and music, as ways to express ourselves. It is an interactive column, and I invite you to participate in a poetry contest that will run throughout August. The winner of the contest will be featured in a future The HeART of Community column, and at an Open House at Soderworld in Hinsdale. Please submit entries by email to: misty.soderholm@soderworldwellness.com, or call Misty at 630-455-5885.

It is officially Summertime! I don’t know about you, but for me summer is a time of year when I’m being more in nature, relaxing, reading more books, eating juicy fruits, and sitting on my balcony and talking until midnight. I wish all of you some down time this summer, and enjoy the abundance of the world!

Last month I met so many of you at many different events, and I want to tell you that I love connecting with you, hearing your stories about your own awakening process; the courage you take to take steps and reach for your dreams! Kudos to you! I am on my own spiritual quest and I am thrilled that I can see other people evolving into the amazing people they are!

After our May article “What is Consciousness” by Carolyn Greenleaf, we received some testimonials/stories from readers about their own awakening process. Thank you! You can read more in her article, “The Process of Consciousness,” on page 24. If you have your own awakening story, and would like to share it with Conscious Community Magazine readers, send an email to: Info@ConsciousCommunityMagazine.com.

Have you ever thought about being in a movie, or on a TV show that featured you, or being interviewed by a major newspaper? Starting with this issue, we are launching Conscious Community Magazine’s Talent Page on our website. If you are an author, healer, yoga teacher, shaman, astrologer, numerologist, clairvoyant reader, nutritionist, massage therapist, alternative medicine doctor, acupuncturist, life coach, etc., and you want to share, then you want to be in on it! We created this page because there is so much talent in our community, and I want Conscious Community Magazine to be a hub/resource for consciousness.

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there are many more “new age” movies, TV shows, Netflix movies, and YouTube channels than ever, and we are getting calls from radio stations and book publishers that are looking for YOU.

I urge you to take action, and share your gifts with our Conscious Community world. There are no coincidences in life! If you have any questions about Conscious Community Magazine’s Talent Page, you can contact our Conscious Community Magazine Sales Team, or you can check out our Talent Page ad on page 39. Here is a link to the Talent Page: http://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/talent-page/.

Also, I want to welcome Stephanie MacDonald who is from Wisconsin, and will be selling advertising and distributing the magazine in the Madison, WI area. Also, Jo Ann Broder is a new distributor for the Rockford, IL area. Welcome on board ladies!

It has already been a year since I became the new publisher of Conscious Community Magazine! I can tell you this; it is so much work, yet it is amusing for me! My enthusiasm for humanity, personal and spiritual development is so huge that waking up in the morning is something that I look forward to every day!

As you may have noticed, Conscious Community Magazine has made many changes during the past year. We’ve changed the layout and design of the magazine, deleted and added a few columns, articles, and features, reorganized the CCM website, and there’s much more to come! My goal for this publication is to bring you a great content magazine to reach your highest potential, create community, and bring positive change in the world. I want to thank all of you for reading this magazine, as well as your support, comments, and suggestions!

Thank you to all of the advertisers that make Conscious Community Magazine interactive, engaging, and educational. Let’s cooperate more, and make a difference in our communities and in our world! Thank you all for your support!

I would like to thank the current and past Conscious Community Magazine team that support and further my vision to make this magazine enjoyable to read and use: Jody Levitan, Julie A. Roberts, Susan Pluto, Rebecca Balogh, Anna Anthony, Lori Kumskis, Melissa Boyas, Theresa Puskar, Kayla Hancock, Kaye Berjot, Jim Kaminecki, Laura Slivinski, Jen Heine… and all of the other talented people, and you know who you are. THANK YOU!

In this issue, we have a few feature articles that you may want to check out. We have an interview with Ania Massat about Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). She explains what NLP is, and why you may be interested in learning about or experiencing it. Also, Christine Keating-Collins wrote the article: “Litha and the Light: Celebrating the White Goddess and the Summer Solstice.”

As you know, the Summer Solstice is on June 21, and I invite you to help us celebrate the longest day of the year:

-Saturday, June 17, 5-6pm. SUMMER SOLSTICE MEDITATION ON CHICAGO’S SHORELINE, organized by Kathy Georgen of Integrative Rainbow Healing Center. It is a meditation on the beach with your own picnic dinner. For more information and registration, call Kathy at 847-687-7886.

-Saturday-Sunday, June 17-18, Noon to noon. SUMMER SOLSTICE AT THE CABIN. Included are camping, dinner/ breakfast, and all classes including yoga, Kirtan, gong meditation. 24 hours of fun at the cabin on the Rock River in Oregon, IL! Email Jennyjagatjeet@hotmail.com for tickets and more information.

I also want to introduce a new column: “Community Q & A, Ask Alecia,” where you can ask questions about relationships, spirituality, consciousness, and almost any topic you are interested in. Please submit your questions to: AskAlecia@moontribevillage.com, and Alecia will answer interesting questions each month.

Spring is finally here! A few weeks ago, I planted my first garden, which I was inspired to do by our columnist Sue Odland, who writes our “Organic Gardening” column. It is a balcony garden with veggies and fruits. As a first-time gardener, I bought a few huge pots, some soil, and seeds of veggies and fruits that I love to eat. Do you know that fruits and veggies are the most vibrational foods on earth that you can eat, and raise your vibration thru eating them! After planting all of my seeds, I water them twice a day. As soon as I saw some small veggies and fruits coming up, I noticed that birds started coming and pulling out plants from my garden, and eating the roots of the plants. Then I had an idea; I put some fake snakes between my plants, and hung an owl around my balcony to stop the birds from eating my plants… I got this idea from one of Sue’s articles. The birds stopped eating my plants. Now my greens are two inches long, and I can’t wait to have my first salad with all the fruits and veggies that I planted!

Watching them growing, it occurred to me that those seeds are like our thoughts that we have every day. Sometimes they are good thoughts that make us feel so wonderful, and inspire us into action to better ourselves, and sometimes they are more negative thoughts that hurt us, or make us live in fear. I have good news for you! Those thoughts are not yours; they are collections of different people’s ideas of you, or they are collections of TV advertising that tell us what we should wear, drive, eat, or how to behave.

Thoughts create your reality that you are living. If you want to have a better life and fulfill your dreams, you need to start paying attention to your thought patterns. Your positive thought patterns encourage you to apply for your dream job, and start exercising regularly; or, on the other hand, they can be negative, and can discourage you from submitting the resume, or making a change that you want to do.

Going thru my own transformation, I found some tips that have helped me become the person I am now, and I want to share them with you:

Every day meditation (sitting meditation, or active meditation like walking, biking, or swimming)

Gratitude (say thank you for things that you are grateful for; for example, a good night’s sleep, the place that I live, friends that I’ve met, or have had for years, pets, health, etc.) |

Surround yourself with people that are positive, joyful, feel good to be around… find your “tribe”

Listen to uplifting music that makes you want to move your body and dance

Read inspiring literature

I want you to step up and create your own garden, and plant seeds that you want to grow, and encourage others to do the same!

I’ve recently heard many conversations about consciousness, being awake and aware, and having the sensation that there is something more to people’s lives than the situations that they’re in. When I overhear that kind of conversation, I just want to give them a huge hug, and tell them that you are awake, and I want to give them a Conscious Community Magazine!

A decade ago, my first job was working at Payless ShoeSource. At that time, I really didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do in my life.

I was studying English, and I felt that I was missing something in my life; I felt disconnected. One day, my friend Renata brought The Monthly Aspectarian (the previous name of this magazine) to the store. Guy Spiro’s Astro-Weather (precursor to Cosmic Daily Weather), yoga, and spiritual articles amazed me. I asked my friend to bring me a copy of this magazine, yet she never did. Then I had an idea that it would be nice to work in that kind of “school,” have all classes 50% off, and learn all about spirituality, consciousness, and the mind. Then I found Yoga Chicago magazine, and the schedule for the Spiritual Learning Center, where the late Walter Perschke offered a plethora of spiritual growth initiatives; among them showcasing the latest spiritual movies, and leading thought-provoking classes in dream analysis, metaphysics, and my favorite, business and spirituality. Fast-forward to the year 2012. The time was ripe for Walter to expand his spiritually based entrepreneurial horizons, and The Monthly Aspectarian Magazine was for sale. I vividly remember the day he purchased it like it was yesterday. He was so thrilled to be overseeing the oldest metaphysical magazine in the United States. At that time, my life was pretty comfortable. I was working at the Spiritual Learning Center, and studying business management in college. That all changed the day I asked him who would manage the magazine. Much to my shock, his response was “YOU!” I said yes. As many of you know, Walter Perschke passed on last year in May of 2016, and he left me the magazine in his will, and this community, because he knew that I would take it to the next level of consciousness.

I told you this story to assure you that awakening of consciousness can happen every moment of your life, and those “aha” moments happen when your soul wants to expand.

One piece of advice that I want to give you is to trust your gut and whatever feelings are arising, trust them, and contemplate on them. Also, I want to advise you to take some classes like meditation, yoga, read some inspirational magazines (like Conscious Community Magazine) or books, and/or go on retreats, and find some like-minded people with whom you can share your experiences.

I want to invite you to join us Sunday, April 30th, in a Tribute to Ervin Laszlo “Pioneer of the New Paradigm”, at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. We are sponsoring this event and would like to support the collective group of people advocating for this cause and celebrating his work. Ervin has dedicated his life to advocating the theory of Quantum Consciousness, and is the founder of Club of Budapest, a prestigious global network of like-minded, powerful cultural icons. Conscious Community Magazine is giving away two tickets-all you have to do is like Ervin’s event on our Facebook, follow on Twitter, and Instagram. We will announce the winners on Facebook, Monday April 24th.